Fixed wing aircraft have achieved a large measure of utility in contemporary society. Such aircraft have found utility in tasks ranging from simple acts such as crop dusting, to commercial transportation of goods and persons, to important strategic and military missions. From time to time throughout the development of fixed wing aircraft, it has been necessary for such aircraft to be operated from and stowed within facilities characterized by relatively limited space. An example of such a space limited facility would include an ocean going aircraft carrier capable of conducting flight operations while underweigh.
The problem of how to integrate a large number of fixed wing aircraft into a container such as an aircraft carrier having a relatively modest volume has been a subject of substantial creative endeavor. Because of the exaggerated, cross-like shape of most fixed wing aircraft, their stowage tends to be space inefficient.
One suggestion providing for an increased density of fixed wing aircraft stowage in a limited space has been the fabrication of aircraft wings having an inflection point along the wing to either side of the fuselage at which inflection point the wing may be hinged in an upwardly direction thereby effectively shortening the wing span of the aircraft during stowage. Such a solution, however, can produce an aircraft configuration during stowage in which the aircraft by reason of the upwardly folded wings is characterized by a substantially elevated height dimension. This increased height dimension can interfere with free movement of the aircraft from one point of stowage to another, particularly in a crowded confine such as an aircraft carrier which may have interfering overhead decks, bulkheads, piping, and the like.
More recently, it has been suggested that a wing may be mounted in a turntable like manner atop an aircraft fuselage. In flight, the centerline of the aircraft wing is fixed approximately perpendicularly to a center line of the aircraft fuselage. During stowage, the wing is rotatable from the inflight position in a particular direction to eventually rest for stowage in a position where the centerline of the wing substantially parallels the centerline of the fuselage. This rotational stowage position effectively provides for a very narrow, very stowable aircraft profile while not contributing substantially to a height requirement necessary to define a "box" capable of containing the length, width and height dimensions of the aircraft being stowed.
With respect to such a "turntable" wing configuration, an opportunity exists for the presence of a gap or space between the wing and surfaces or components of the fuselage immediately adjacent the wing while the wing is positioned for flight. Such a gap, if unsealed, could pose undesirable aerodynamic inefficiencies.
Any seal employed to fill the gap between wing and fuselage components should be substantially resistant to the delaterious effects of extremes of temperature. Such seals typically would encounter frigid temperatures associated with upper atmosphere flying or stationing of the aircraft at geographic locations where temperatures can dip to levels substantially below 0.degree. C.
In addition, depending upon configuration, portions of seals when rotated one across the other as a wing is rotated from an inflight position to a stowage position, can subject opposing members of the rotating seal to substantial compressive forces. These compressive forces can permanently deform or tear such seals, particularly where alastomeric, resulting in potential disfunctional non-sealing at certain points along the seal. Additionally, seals which effect a sealing action by substantial compressive action can with time permanently deform thereby losing seating effectiveness.
A non compression seal for sealing between wing and fuselage of an aircraft having a wing rotatable from an inflight to a stowage position wherein the wing substantially parallels the fuselage and wherein the seal is configured to be relatively free of distortional forces during such rotation, could find substantial application in the construction of aircraft configured for performance in services where rotational wing stowage is desired.
Likewise, a method for sealing between a wing and a fuselage in configurations where the wing is rotatable from an inflight position to a stowage position wherein the longitudinal axis of the wing substantially parallels the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, and wherein the seal is substantially free of compressive strains and stress during such rotation and during sealing, could find substantial utility in the manufacture and operation of such aircraft.